Best Hawaii All-Inclusive Family Vacations in 2024
Mickey and Minnie Mouse have arrived in Hawaii. The Aulani Disney Resort and Spa sits on the quieter west end of Oahu. It combines the fun and sun that Hawaii has to offer with the magic of Disney. Imagine a Disney Character Breakfast with Minnie Mouse in a muumuu and Donald Duck wearing flowered leis. The 8,200-square-foot super pool offers tunneled waterslides and the Rainbow Reef is a safe place for kids to learn to snorkel with reef fish. Visit Aunty’s Beach House and learn how a volcano works and make Space Goo. The family-oriented Kids Eat Free package includes all children’s meals, passes for Rainbow Reef, and free activities at Aunty’s Beach House. Other packages offer discounts on Hawaiian Airlines from select U.S. mainland cities.
Wailea, Maui – Grand Wailea Resort and Spa
Have you ever heard of a water elevator? At the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa, this first of its kind device take swimming to a whole new level. The Wailea Canyon Activity Pool has six levels with nine pools connected by a river that winds through the resort. Water slides take you from one level to the next until you get to the bottom pool and the water elevator. Swim into the elevator and hang on to the big rubber donut along the curved sides. The water level in the elevator rises until you are back at the top pool. Swim out and do it all again. If you just want to relax and recharge, find a quiet corner at the 4,850-square-foot, adults-only Hibiscus Pool.
The beach in front of the property is wide and white, considered one of the best on Maui. Ride a boogie board, kayak, or snorkel; you might even see green sea turtles close to the sands. Golf, tennis courts, and an onsite spa are also available. The Grand Family Adventures special is offered for up to two adults and two children with a minimum four-night stay. It includes a daily buffet breakfast, a $100 resort gift card, and four tickets to the Maui Ocean Center, an aquarium/science center specializing in local marine life.
Camp Grande is the resort’s children’s program and it offers a special night camp. This gives Mom and Dad a chance to enjoy a meal at the signature restaurant, Humuhumunukunukuapua’a, named after the Hawaiian state fish. It gets easier to say after a Mai-Tai or two.
Poipu, Kauai – Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
At the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, it’s all about the water. A winding river pool carries your floating chair from one grotto to another, past waterfalls, and hidden pocket beaches. Splashdown a 150-foot slide into a freshwater pool or rent kayaks and enjoy a family paddle from one end of the resort to the other. Hike the 2.5 mile Mahaulepu Heritage Trail that leads from a bluff next to the resort down to Mahaulepu Beach. Along the way, find Hawaiian petroglyphs, ancient writings in the lava rock. In the winter, you might see a humpback whale or two spouting off-shore.
The Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa offers a number of night-free offers throughout the year, some including daily buffet breakfast. Other packages may include a car, golf, or spa services. The Kids and Parents Play Away Day lets Mom and Dad enjoy the golf course or spa while the kids participate in the Camp Hyatt program. They’ll be well entertained with arts and crafts, Hawaiian movies, counselor led walks through the hotel gardens, and supervised pool time. Celebrate Hawaiian culture at a traditional luau, offered on Thursdays and Sundays.
Waikoloa, Big Island – Hilton Waikoloa Village
Hilton Waikoloa Village began on a cocktail napkin. That simple sketch by visionary Chris Hemmeter blossomed into a 62-acre resort on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Cruise to your room on an old-fashioned canal boat or via a space-age monorail style tram. Wander the Museum Walkway and take in the $7 million in artwork from across the Pacific, Asia, and the West. Dive into the Kona Pool and swim under a waterfall or zip down the waterslides connecting the four sections of the Kohala River Pool. Adults have their own quiet getaway at the Ocean Tower Pool.
The most exciting activity, especially for the kids, is the chance to swim with the hotel’s dolphins. Children 10 years and up can participate in Sea Quest, a chance to snorkel, ride a water scooter, and visit with the dolphins. Or, spend up to 45 minutes in the water swimming, touching and feeding the dolphins. The Wee Tots encounter is offered for children from between two and four. Mom and Dad, bring your camera for the meeting between a playful dolphin and your little one.
The Ocean Explorer Family Escape package offers a daily buffet breakfast for up to two adults and two children, a fun backpack filled with goodies for each child, and a glass-bottom boat cruise. Club Keiki, an optional children’s program for ages 5 to 12, gives kids the chance to learn how to fish, hear Hawaiian stories and learn to hula dance. At the same time, mom and dad can get away for a couple’s massage in an oceanfront setting. All ages are welcome at the Big Island Luau – Legends of the Pacific, held Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Are you ready for your tropical vacation to Hawaii?